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Would you tell Tim Wakefield how to throw a knuckleball? Would you consider telling Kobe Bryant how to shoot a jump shot? Would it cross your mind to tell Apple developers how to build their next product?

Probably not. They all know what they’re doing and they’re not going to listen to anyone but a real expert. Are you an expert?

That’s what salespeople go through every day when they’re selling to sales professionals (especially when you’re selling a CRM tool). When you sell a CRM solution, your main audience is the Sales Executive/Sales Manager/individual sales contributor (I’m not leaving out the marketing team and finance team – but, here at Landslide, our main audience is the Sales team).

That’s perspective #1 – Tough audience

There’s another perspective – Sympathetic audience

Salespeople are both. They are tough in several ways – They’re difficult to control, they won’t stand for BS or wasted time, and they can sometimes focus more on your selling style than on what you’re selling.

But they’re also sympathetic. They deal with the same kind of frustration and refusal that you deal with every day, and they are less likely to “dish it out” than the typical prospect. If you earn their respect, they will be honest, helpful and even “kind”.

Despite the difficulties, it is possible to sell successfully to salespeople. Ever since I was a child, I witnessed a salesperson selling to salespeople. My father, a successful Sales Executive, showed me the pros and cons of selling to salespeople. He taught me how to “get a deal done”. He also taught me what not to do.

Here’s some advice…

How is selling to salespeople different?

The following advice hold true for any kind of customer, but especially so for those in Sales. For them, these things are not just recommendations, they’re mandatory!

1. Salespeople know all of the techniques and the “tricks” of sales. They know what you’re trying to do, and they won’t easily allow you to control the sales process.

Advice:

Don’t try to trick a salesperson. Remove all “filler” words from your pitch. Don’t sugar coat anything. Salespeople will see through that, so be as honest and straightforward as you can be. They’ll appreciate it, and in exchange they’ll be straight with you. They know what you’re doing, so stay away from BS of any sort.

As quickly as you can, pick up clues about the person you’re selling to and stay within their comfort zone. If they’re technical, be technical. If they’re rough around the edges, you be the same. You’ll have an easier time playing in their sandbox than trying to get them to play in yours.

Don’t waste their time. To salespeople, time is money. Get to the point quickly.

Be as clear as you can be. Being vague wastes time. Salespeople understand process, and they understand commitment. Being wishy-washy will frustrate them, and you’ll lose their respect.

2. Salespeople will sometimes focus more on your technique than on what you are trying to say. They can focus on the process more than on your proposed solution. Why? Because the process interests them – it’s what they do themselves every day.

Advice:

If you detect that this is happening, level with them. Tell them that you know they do this day in and day out, and let them know that you really want to respect their time – and yours. Let them know that if they’re not interested, you want to know and will respect that.

Despite the difficulties, salespeople can be among your best customers. Treat them well, and you will be treated well in return.

About David Kern

David is a Senior Sales Advisor at LandslideCRM and a contributor to LandslideCRM's Thought Leadership Program. David has worked in the software and services field for the past 10 years. His experience has focused on sales information systems, including CRM systems and consulting, corporate information and research and job search systems, as well as database systems and services.